“Transforming Homelessness Through Skill Development, Dignity & Long-term Change”
Greetings, my name is Dr. Rick Wadsworth, and I am a self-funded, self-directed homeless advocate and educator in Salt Lake City. I have spent nearly a year doing “man-on-the-street” interviews with the homeless to ascertain their needs, learn their struggles, understand their culture, and figure out where the gaps exist in government policy. What I have discovered is that the symptoms of homelessness are being addressed (i.e. lack of food & shelter) but not the causes of it (i.e. childhood trauma, family dysfunction, poor role-models, incarceration, inability to manage emotions, drug addiction, etc.). As a result, many are stuck at the bottom and the problem is only getting worse.
This outreach has 3 audiences in mind—1) the public who needs to see the homeless with more accuracy—less fear—and increased compassion 2) the politicians who focus on resource-distribution instead of education that changes minds, hearts, and behaviors which are essential for long-term success and 3) the homeless who need to learn life-skills, emotion-regulation, holistic healing, self-compassion through trauma recovery work, 12-step principles (and NA), and strength-based counseling. Additionally, many need to learn how to make & keep goals, develop accountability, manage money, and for some, pro-social skills. *Trust and attachment issues go hand-in-hand with homelessness and should be considered a part of any future program development. This Psychology Today article mirrors my experience 100%.
All of us need to understand our divine worth & potential and how to connect with our Higher Power (as we understand him), and receive strength, drive, and perspective to move ahead and succeed. This understanding—coupled with specific education and wrap-around services—is foundational to long-term transformation because it incorporates principles and patterns that lead to growth and success—for ifwe only feed the stomach and not the brain and the spirit, then we are effectively keeping people on insufferable life-support.
This site is a call-to-action to: 1) create public awareness & political dialogue 2) encourage people to donate much needed supplies and 3) locate venues throughout the valley to teach free lifestyle classes and holistic healing.
In order to fix homelessness, new channels of learning and insight must open up for all parties involved—the public, the politicians, and those living on the streets—and resources directed accordingly. Please join me in this critical fight to save lives that are literally hanging in the balance because of freezing temperatures, violence, abuse, trafficking, suicide and overdose.
*A great thanks to all of those currently engaged in helping, blessing, and serving the poor & needy among us—the various shelters and many volunteers—you are the bedrock minority and already on God’s errand. Thank you! Hopefully as others scroll these pages, they too will see ways to get involved to alleviate suffering and bring some normalcy to a lifestyle that is anything but normal.
Keep reading, clicking & learning— and welcome aboard.
